


Ringmaster

by Satine86



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Baby Carlyle, Family Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Ficlet, Gen, Humor, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 22:08:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17733542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Satine86/pseuds/Satine86
Summary: “I’m the Ringmaster,” she declared with as much authority as a three year old could possess.





	Ringmaster

**Author's Note:**

> Written for an anon on tumblr who requested canon dad!Phillip. 
> 
> Father/daughter fluff is totally my weakness (as evident by the fact I keep giving Phillip a daughter every chance I get LOL).

Tapping his chin, Phillip hummed loudly. “Now where could my top hat have gotten to?” he pondered out loud, pretending he didn’t hear the high pitched giggle coming from the wardrobe.

“Not under the bed,” he said, crouching down and lifting the blankets. He moved to Anne’s vanity, making a show of looking behind it. “Not here either. Where could it possibly be?”

Another, slightly more muffled giggle sounded. At least she was trying. Phillip pressed his lips together and tried not to laugh himself. He had yet to figure out why this particular game was so much fun, but then again he wasn’t three.

Finally exhausting all the places he could pretend to search in the room, Phillip crept to the wardrobe and very slowly pulled open the doors. “Ah ha!” he cried. “I found it!”

His hands darted forward and picked up his little thief, swinging her up into his arms as she laughed and shrieked with delight. Tiny hands gripped the top hat in order to keep it firmly on her head, the brim coming down over her chin until it more resembled a bucket than a hat. She didn’t seem to care about that though.

Settling her on his hip, Phillip gently pushed back the brim so he her could look at her face; her cheeks rounded with a wide smile, and eyes crinkled in amusement. Really it was her favorite game. 

“May I have my hat, please?” he asked.

“No!” she cried, fingers tightening on the brim.

“No? But I asked nicely.”

“Mine!”

“It is?” He tilted his head at her thoughtfully. “Are you the ringmaster now?”

She nodded so enthusiastically that the hat slipped down again, covering her entire head. It took all of Phillip’s willpower not to laugh, least she think he was laughing at her. When he collected himself he pushed the brim back again. She was grinning at him.

“I’m the Ringmaster,” she declared with as much authority as a three year old could possess. Although it was belied a bit by the fact it sounded more like “wing master.”

“I see.” Phillip nodded. “So no trapeze like mommy?”

“No tapeeze. I’m the Wing Master!” she repeated with conviction.

Again Phillip pressed his lips together to keep from laughing at her. She knew what she wanted – at least for the moment – he had to give her that. And frankly if he could keep his child on the ground instead of soaring through the air… well, he was more fine with that. Even though he was certain she would be demanding to join her mother on the trapeze by the end of the week.

“All right. Ringmaster it is,” he said.

She giggled and clapped happily. In a moment she started to wriggle out of his grasp, and Phillip gently sat her on the ground. The second her feet touched the floorboards she darted back toward the wardrobe, one hand holding the hat up so that it didn’t cover her eyes.

Phillip contemplated buying her a hat of her own. One that was so comically huge, but before he could too far with the thought he was distracted when she reached inside the wardrobe and pulled out his cane for the shows.

“Mine too!” she cried excitedly, bolting for the door and nearly running into it when the hat slipped down over her eyes. Phillip was right on her heels.


End file.
